Benefits For Your Business

Most of us know instinctively that music helps create a great atmosphere and is generally good for business. Now research has backed that up, showing beyond doubt that business owners, managers, employees and customers all agree with you - music is good for business. Music can affect the behavior of your customers and your employees. It can magnify your marketing and embed your branding. Have a look at the research specific to your industry, or by topic, to see how music is benefiting your business every day.

Music today is everywhere and increasingly we are learning the benefits of playing the right music in your business. OneMusic exists to bring music and business together and we hope to bring you up to date research and information on just how music can work best for your business.

A third of customers are willing to pay5% more in businesses that play music.

74% of employees enjoy going to work more when music is being played, and a third are less likely to take time off sick.

More than half of customers spend more time in a shop that plays music.

91% of those surveyed prefer a bar that plays background music – two-thirds said they would not return to their favourite bar if the music was turned off.

81% prefer hair salons that play music.

82% of gym users like to hear music as they work out.

Playing music in waiting rooms makes over three-quarters of people more relaxed.

Retail:

Music attracts customers to your store and keeps them there, with 90% of customers saying they would choose a shop that is playing music over one that isn’t. More than half say they’ll go back to a store when they play good music.

60% of customers also say they’ll spend longer in a shop when they like the music and for more than half of customers in fashion stores, trying on clothes in silence is a real turn off. More than half of those surveyed said say they are more likely to try the clothes on when music is playing.

Likewise, 86% of retailers agreed that playing music helps to reduce those awkward tensions and silences that aren’t good for making a sale, and most recommend that other retailers should play music if they want to increase productivity in their business and improve staff morale.

Restaurants and Cafes:

Restaurant and cafe owners and managers agree whole-heartedly that music is good for their businesses. In fact, most of them say that the music played at different venues will influence their own decision about where they choose to eat out.

A third of owners and managers say they would rather lose a day’s trading than have to turn their music off, and 84% said music created a better atmosphere for their customers.

Most say that when they play music, they are increasing staff morale, with 77% saying music relieved the awkward tensions and silences that are so uncomfortable for their staff and customers.

Pubs and Bars

Turning off the music for most bar owners and managers would be a very bad idea, with 80% of those surveyed saying they would expect complaints from customers and staff.

73% said that playing music in their pub or bar increased their sales or results and almost a quarter believe that if they couldn’t play music, they would go out of business.

While one fifth of pubs and bars surveyed have cut their TV subscriptions, all said they would continue to play music.

More than half of the bars, pubs and clubs surveyed said they would rather lose a day’s trade than turn off their music permanently.

Hair and Beauty Salons

80% of the customers at hair and beauty salons say that music helps create just the right atmosphere, with even more saying that silence makes a business seem unfriendly and unwelcoming.

More than half of the customers surveyed said they are more likely to recommend a salon to friends if the salon plays music they like and 80% said they just preferred to have music playing in the salon, full stop.

Most salons are already aware of the positive relationship between music and their customers’ satisfaction. 71% of salons say they can positively influence their customers’ behavior by playing music. Almost all said that music is beneficial to their business and 84% recommended that other salons should play music if they wanted to improve their productivity and staff morale.

Gyms

According to the latest research, music is one of the most important factors in gym membership loyalty, with almost half of the gym members surveyed saying they would consider changing gyms if their gym turned the music off. 60% admitted they would be more loyal to a gym that played music.

80% of members agreed that they are more motivated in their workouts when music is playing and almost two thirds say they are more likely to recommend a gym to their friends when the gym plays good music.

Over half the members surveyed said they would visit the gym less frequently if the gym stopped playing music.

Doctors and Dentists

Latest research shows that when music is played in waiting rooms, it makes most patients feel more relaxed and comfortable and it speeds up their perception of how long they are waiting.

More than two thirds of the patients surveyed said that listening to music in a reception room made the visit seem less frightening and even more said they became more tolerant of having to wait.

74% said that having music playing in a waiting room helped to take their mind off seeing the dentist or doctor and 75% of patients surveyed said that when there was music playing, it just made them feel happier.

Hotels

An overwhelming three quarters of hotel guests surveyed in the latest research said they liked to hear music playing in lobbies, bars, restaurants and any of a hotel’s public spaces.

61% of hotel guests said they are more likely to consume more food and drink when they hear good music and 69% said they would spend more time in the public areas of a hotel if music was being played there.

It seems music plays a very important part in the overall happiness of guests with more than three quarters of those surveyed saying that music playing in a hotel made them feel more relaxed and simply put them in a good mood.

Almost half of those surveyed said they would consider meeting somewhere else if a hotel stopped playing music.

Sporting Events

An overwhelming majority of sports fans believe that recorded music impacts on a sporting event to such an extent that there would be less anticipation and enjoyment of a game without it.

In the latest research 75% reported that the atmosphere at an event is significantly improved by music. 86% said that the crowd’s anticipation before the event was increased when music was played and 80% said they liked it when music was played at the appropriate times throughout a game.

More than two thirds of fans surveyed say they are more sociable with other fans around them when music is playing and 70% said that without the music, the atmosphere is just not as good.

Exhibitions

Playing music at a conference or exhibition centre can set your stand apart from others and increase footfall.

More than three quarters of conference goers surveyed said that playing music added to the presentational power of an exhibition. Almost the same number again 73% agreed that music was an important factor in creating the ideal atmosphere at an exhibition.

More than half of the stall-holders surveyed said that they all increased foot traffic to their stand just by playing music.

Music Festivals and Events

Recorded music is a vital tool in the smooth running of music festivals and events, according to the latest research.

70% of festival-goers surveyed say that recorded music played before an event helps to keep them patient. A further 65% say they think playing recorded music at appropriate times makes the event better value for money.

The overwhelming majority of people surveyed said that they are kept in the right mood by recorded music at an event and three quarters said that if recorded music is played it makes them feel happier.

Even more of those surveyed (78%) said that music played at the right times makes an event more sociable.

Telephone On-Hold Music

The latest research shows that playing music to customers who are waiting on-hold in the telephone system can make the time appear to go faster and take customers’ minds off waiting.

Furthermore, telephone abandonment rates could be cut by up to 35% if on-hold music was being played.

Customers also showed a preference for music genre, with 50% saying they preferred to hear soothing music while they were waiting on-hold. However the majority of customers (71%) in a telephone system were just happy to hear music while they waited.

Research findings provided by MusicWorks, a joint research initiative between PPL and PRS For Music in the United Kingdom. Results provided were gathered from surveys carried out in June 2013.